Thùy Linh Falls to World No. 2 in India Tournament

Earlier in the first round, Thùy Linh scored an emotional victory against local player Pursula Sindhu, a former world champion. However, in the second round, she faced another challenge when she faced world number 2, China’s Wang Zhi Yi.

Given the anticipated difficulties, it is not surprising that Thùy Linh was dominated by her opponent. Wang Zhi Yi took advantage of her fast style of play to put her under pressure, quickly taking a large 5-0 lead in the first set.

In this set, the “Vietnamese badminton bomb” had little chance of turning the tide. Wang Zhi Yi therefore won easily with a score of 21-12.

After what happened in the first set, one would have thought that Thùy Linh was going to have a string of defeats. Still, she demonstrated a significant change in her playing style and competitive mindset, even without a coach by her side.

Thùy Linh multiplied the delicate shots on net, forcing Wang Zhi Yi to commit fouls. The Chinese player also committed several slight errors, giving Thùy Linh the opportunity to finish the point.

At one point, the score was 16-10 in favor of Thuy Linh, raising hopes of a turnaround. But, with her talent, Wang Zhi Yi also changed her style of play. She focused more on long rallies, avoiding rushing points.

Thanks to his excellent sense of the game, Wang Zhi Yi had more time to create scoring chances. Conversely, Thuy Linh seemed to be running out of steam and becoming more impatient. She sent the ball out of bounds several times, losing points.

The Chinese player chained eight consecutive points to take the advantage (18-16). She then continued her momentum and won the second set 21-17.

Following this defeat, Thùy Linh was officially eliminated in the second round of the 2025 India Open.